I Break Horses

When we first mentioned that Swedish duo I Break Horses were planning to tour with M83 this spring, which hits NYC at the now-sold out Terminal 5 on May 10, we hoped that they would also play a smaller show while they're here. Well, that came true. I Break Horses have announced four post-M83-tour headlining shows (all listed below), including one happening at Mercury Lounge on May 30. Tickets for the Mercury show are on AmEx presale now and go on general sale Friday (1/27) at noon.

M83 recently announced an August Summerstage show too, which, like the T5 show, is also now SOLD OUT (over 6 months in advance).

All I Break Horses dates and a video below...

Continue reading "I Break Horses announce shows; M83 sold out Summerstage"

M83 @ MHOW in 2011 (more by Erik Erikson)

M83, who released one of our favorite albums of 2011 and sold out Webster Hall and MHOW this past fall, recently announced a tour with I Break Horses which will hit the much larger NYC venue, Terminal 5 on May 10. That show has since sold out too, and now M83 just revealed an even larger NYC show, which will happen on August 8 at Central Park Summerstage. Tickets for that show go on sale Friday (1/20) at noon with an AmEx and a Summerstage presale starting Wednesday (1/18) at noon.

The show is the fifth Summerstage show to be announced for 2012, whose schedule also includes a Beirut show and three Foster the People shows.

Updated M83 dates, including their appearances at the sold out Coachella below...

Continue reading "M83 sell out Terminal 5, add Central Park Summerstage show (updated dates include Coachellas too)"

Beirut at Terminal 5 in 2011 (more by VIncent Cornelli)

Beirut are currently on an international tour that includes dates in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and South Korea. They're beginning to reveal some North American dates happening later on this year, including Coachella and a NYC show happening on August 29 at Rumsey Playfield in Central Park (aka Summerstage). Tickets go on sale Friday (1/13) at noon with an AmEx presale starting Wednesday (1/11) at noon.

That makes the total Central Park Summerstage shows, as of January 2012, up to four already. The other three are Foster the People, one of which was just announced with Tokyo Police Club on June 11 (AmEx presale also starts Wednesday at noon).

All currently known Beirut dates below...

Continue reading "Beirut & other Summerstage shows announced"

photos by Chris La Putt

Grace Potter sat in the grass with her guitar Wednesday, outside her home in Waitsfield, and wrote a new song. Its called "The Mad Mad River."

For years, Potter had resisted the temptation to write about Vermont, she said. "I thought it was kind of cheesy," Potter said.

But in the sunshine Wednesday, a hint of fall in the air a beautiful moment three days after coming home from the road to flood-stricken Waitsfield, Potter wrote about the place "that is such a deep part of who I am."

The chorus is: "There's hope in the valley after the 100-year flood/because the Mad Mad River runs in our blood."

Potter, 28, will debut the song Oct. 9 at the Flynn Theater in Burlington, where she and her band, the Nocturnals, will play one of two benefit concerts for Vermont flood relief. [Burlington Free Press]

Continue reading "Grace Potter, Big Head Todd and the Monsters & Floating Action played Summerstage (pics)"

photos by Jessica Amaya

"Wilco gets everything backwards.

Rock bands are supposed to start small, releasing music on obscure, independent labels, and working their way up to a major record company contract. Wilco, though, began their career on a major label subsidiary in 1994, divorced it to release 2001's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, signed to another subsidiary, and, four studio albums and one Grammy later, decided to start their own indie imprint, dBpm Records. Their first release on that label, The Whole Love, is out today." [The Atlantic]

Continue reading "Wilco release new album, played their 2nd Summerstage show w/ Nick Lowe in the rain (pics & setlist)"

Wilco @ Rumsey Playfield (Central Park) -- 9/22/2011 (photo by beaucolburn)

"Loved the show..nice mix of the new album--love it!, plus the usual "singalongs" and plenty of older gems. Was that tweedy's son dancin' on stage? And except for the lines at vending, I really enjoyed the venue tonight.
And no rain!
Back tomorrow for round 2. For those going, Wilco on about 7:50, played a little over 1.5 hours, then back for an extended encore. Total show 2-2.25 hours I'd say. 25 songs!" [A Cherry Ghost]

Continue reading "Wilco played Central Park Summerstage (setlist), will again tonight "

Like an edition of PS1's Warm Up, and the DMB Caravan, the Irene-cancelled Charlie Parker Jazz Festival has been rescheduled, though now it's only one day...

Due to Hurricane Irene, City Parks Foundation was forced to postpone the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival which was originally scheduled for Saturday, August 27 and Sunday, August 28. We are proud to announce a new date for the festival, Friday, September 23, from 6-10 pm at the Richard Rodgers Amphitheater in Harlem's Marcus Garvey Park. Due to the rescheduling of this event, the lineup has been altered and the typically two-day festival has been consolidated to just one day.

On Friday, September 23, the festival will take place at Marcus Garvey Park with KENNY WERNER, JAMES CARTER, TIA FULLER and THE GERALD CLAYTON TRIO.

This FREE performances is certain to fill up quickly, so get there early: the show begins at 6:00pm.

Continue reading "Charlie Parker Jazz Fest rescheduled"

Wavves @ East River Park - 8/25/2011 (photo by robotgobot)

Though last night's Wavves show went on as planned, and was even dry, Saturday & Sunday's performances of "Henry V" are cancelled (they were set to take place on the same East River Park stage). You can however catch the same Shakespeare show in East River Park on Monday (as of now).

Tickets on sale now for the Wavves/Fucked Up show at Webster Hall.

"sad to report that, due to the imminent approach of Hurricane Irene, we are exercising discretion as the better part of valor and preemptively canceling the Sunday, August 28th Central Park show.

Again, the Sunday, August 28 Jagged Edge, Avant and Melanie Fiona show at Central Park is now CANCELED due to Hurricane Irene."

Update: the 8/28 show is now rescheduled for 9/21

photos by Amanda M. Hatfield

"At Central Park Summerstage, 10,000% humidity. So damp. Band (UK's Friendly Fires) is dripping like undersea creatures." - Moishe Friedman

Friendly Fires headlined a free and at-capcity Central Park Summerstage show yesterday (8/7) with Cults and The Naked and Famous. Friendly Fires played a pretty even mix of material from their debut and its recently released followup Pala (full setlist below). Cults, who will probably be able to headline their own Summerstage show next summer, opened the show two days after they played Lollapalooza.

The Naked and Famous, who are already headlining Webster Hall on October 27 with The Chain Gang of 1974 and White Arrows, and playing a sold out MHOW show on 8/12 with Winter Gloves, just added an 8/13 Brooklyn Bowl show with a Yeasayer DJ set. Tickets are on sale now if you're into that kind of thing. All dates are listed below.

More pictures, videos, and setlist from the Summerstage show, below...

Continue reading "Friendly Fires, Cults & The Naked & Famous played Central Park Summerstage (pics, video & setlist)"

photos by Vincent Cornelli

Lykke Li @ Central Park Summerstage

As previously mentioned, Lykke Li, who was just confirmed for Fun Fun Fun Fest, will head out on a short tour with First Aid Kit in November which hits NJ's Wellmont Theatre on November 17. Tickets for that show finally go on sale this Friday (8/5) at noon.

Lykke Li played a ticketed NYC show at Central Park Summerstage last night (8/1) with Timber Timbre. None of the opener, but pictures from the show continue, with a video, below...

Continue reading "Lykke Li played Summerstage (pics), playing Wellmont (tix)"

photos by Chris La Putt

"Dear friends, Yes. That was me singing with Levon Helm & Emmylou & so many friends in Central Park. One of those nights you hold onto." - Tift Merritt

Levon Helm, Emmylou Harris and Hayes Carll played Summerstage last night (7/18). Pictures from that show are in this post.

During Levon Helm's set, David Bromberg played on "Tongue" (a Bromberg song that Levon recorded with him) and Emmylou Harris helped perform "Evangeline", and then Harris, Hayes, Bromberg, Joan Osborne, Tift Merritt, Shawn Colvin and others joined the band for a performance of The Band's "The Weight." We don't have pictures of that part, but you can watch a video of it below.

"The Weight", as usual, was the last song in Levon's set. You can check out the full written setlist below though note they actually opened with "Ophelia" and didn't play "Wheels".

Setlist, video and pictures below....

Continue reading "Levon Helm, Emmylou Harris, Hayes Carll & friends played Summerstage (pics, video, setlist)"

Tickets for Wilco's 9/22 Summerstage show, after two presales, went on sale today (7/15) at noon and quickly sold out. Fortunately, Wilco have announced a second date the next night (9/23) at Summerstage. Tickets for the newly added show go on sale Friday (7/22) at noon. Nick Lowe opens like he does the night prior.

As mentioned earlier today, you can pre-order the "I MIght" 7" at the Wilco webstore.

Updated tour dates below...

Continue reading "Wilco adds 2nd Central Park show (updated dates)"

The above is a screenshot of the Wilco store where you can pre-order the "I Might b/w I Love My Label" 7" in various varieties. "I Might" is the first single from Wilco's new album The Whole Love which they'll be touring behind in September. Tickets go on sale at noon for the Central Park Summerstage show.

photos by David Andrako

"Thoroughly awesome Central Park SummerStage Ratatat show tonight! Preceded by an Omar Souleyman dance party in a torrential downpour." - Miranda Mammen

"Omar Souleyman killed it at Santos 2nite!
the bubu gang also ruled! xelent!" - Jesse Lent

Ratatat

Ratatat headlined the sold-out Central Park Summerstage last night (7/13) with support from Omar Souleyman and Black Pus (aka Brian Chippendale of Lightning Bolt). It rained pretty hard during Omar Souleyman but things cleared up for Ratatat's set, which was accompanied by an array of video clips and visuals. Omar then played a much drier set after the show at Santos with Janka Nabay and others.

More pictures and videos from the Summerstage show below...

Continue reading "Ratatat, Omar Souleyman & Black Pus played Summerstage (pics & video)"

Omar Souleyman at Bonnaroo in June (more by Dana (Distortion) Yavin)

Syrian dabke mastermind Omar Souleyman plays Summerstage tonight (7/13) as part of a pretty eccentric lineup. Ratatat headlines the show and Black Pus is also on the bill. The show is sold out.

If you missed out on getting tickets, you'll have another chance to see Omar, who will play a late show tonight (7/13) at Santos Party House afterwards, with a lineup of other "world musicians" (for lack of better terms). Bubu King Janka Nabay is on the bill, along with Azizaman and Rainstick. Tickets for this show are still on sale.

All tour dates below...

Continue reading "Omar Souleyman playing NYC TWICE TODAY & other dates"

The 2011 Latin Alternative Music Conference will be a part of NYC from July 6th-9th. Tonight (Wednesday, 7/6) is a big free show at Central Park Summerstage with "Spanish music icons Jarabe De Palo, Mexican songstress Ely Guerra, Afro-Peruvian electronica folk artist Novalima and Miami's DJ extraordinaire Mr. Pauer." Alternatively Mercury Lounge has a show too. Thursday, after the panels at the Roosevelt Hotel, are shows at SOB's (badge-holders only) and Bowery Ballroom. Friday, after more panels, is a big free Celebrate Brooklyn show at Prospect Park with Los Lobos and "Mexican indie rock sensation Hello Seahorse!, New York City's dreamy rock act Zigmat." Saturday is another big free show at Central Park Summerstage with "Afro-Colombian hip hop act ChocQuibTown, Dominican electro merengue act Rita Indiana, Brooklyn's funky multi-instrumentalist Ursula 1000 and New York City's dynamic DJ duo Uproot Andy and Geko Jones (of Que Bajo?!)." It all ends later that night at D'Antigua in Queens with "up and coming homegrown talent featuring Mexican Dubwiser, Elastic Bond, One Chot, Estados Alterados and Una Via" (or at the unofficial closing party back at SOB's).

Leave your recommendations in the comments.

by Andrew Sacher

Florence on GMA @ Rumsey Playfield (juleskills)

Since Good Morning America concerts now happen at Rumsey Playfield aka Central Park Summerstage (full schedule below), Florence & the Machine actually played the outdoor NYC venue twice on Friday (6/24). She played a short set early in the morning for Good Morning America and then a proper Summerstage show later that night with Twin Shadow and Bubbles. At the night show Florence opened the track "Blinding" by singing the intro to Lady Gaga's "Judas" (Lady Gaga notoriously played the first 2011 Good Morning America show on May 27th). Check out a video of that and some others from both Florence shows below.

Twin Shadow's next NYC show is at Webster Hall with Diamond Rings.

what is that over her shoulders???

Beyonce, whose new album 4 was released today (6/28), who also just headlined Glastonbury (with help from Tricky), and who plays the NBC NYC fireworks show, plays Good Morning America at Rumsey Playfield on July 1.

Beyonce's new album seems to be what everyone has been talking about, especially since it leaked back on June 7th. Even Beyonce addressed the leak on June 8th:

My music was leaked and while this is not how I wanted to present my new songs, I appreciate the positive response from my fans. When I record music I always think about my fans singing every note and dancing to every beat. I make music to make people happy and I appreciate that everyone has been so anxious to hear my new songs.

Apparently some of her LGBT fans are disappointed too (and are not dancing to every beat). According to Sandra Rose, after the album leaked, the actual release date was pushed back in part because of criticism from her gay fans. This has not been confirmed, but she wrote:

Beyoncé and her management team are worried about the lack of gay support for her more mature, ballad-heavy CD. "They're taking the album off the [release list] and retooling it," said my source [a confidential informant at the record label, who begged to remain anonymous]. "They're going to add 2 more songs with a club beat to send the gays to the dance floor."

The gay-marriage-legalization-downplaying New York Post, who earlier posted a story about Columbia expecting the Beyonce record to flop, don't like it either. The Daily News's Jim Farber on the other hand likes it (The Daily News also differed from the NY Post by actually doing cover stories on the legalization of gay marriage).

Speaking of Jim Farber, his other big Daily News article today was about "girly men" music ("everyone from [Bon Iver to] Sufjan Stevens to Devendra Banhart to Antony and the Johnsons to Iron and Wine to Grizzly Bear to the National to Fleet Foxes to Vampire Weekend"). He adds, "Snaking back a bit farther, you could also throw into this high-brow/low-virility crew Bright Eyes, the Decemberists and Death Cab for Cutie."

(so just to recap for a second: Gay people don't like the new Beyonce album. The NY Post doesn't like gay people, but does like Beyonce. The Daily News, despite a bit of homophobia, likes gay people and Beyonce.).

I think the Beyonce album's pretty good, except for the severely out-of-place lead single "Run The World (Girls)," which unfortunately is the only track with an official video so far (watch below). Most of the album's non-singles are the ones that demand repeated listens. Its highest points are hit when she belts out Etta Jamesian choruses like that of "Start Over," the earworminess of "Countdown," and the fact that its the first album since her debut to feature a member of Outkast (how bout that new Outkast album?). You can decide for yourself by streaming it. Buy a copy on Amazon.

The upcoming Good Morning America lineup also includes Mary J Blige on September 2, and Debbie Gibson & Tiffany, who are going on tour, on July 29. The full list of mainstream acts (like Beyonce and now Florence) that are playing the popular TV show's series is below.

Florence & Beyonce videos and stuff below too...

Continue reading "Florence & the Machine played Rumsey Playfield twice, Beyonce (whose new album is out) playing there too & stuff"

DOWNLOAD: Shabazz Palaces - "An echo from the hosts that profess infinitum" (MP3)
DOWNLOAD: Shabazz Palaces - "Swerve... The reeping of all that is worthwhile (Noir not withstanding)" (MP3)

Black Sheep at Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest 2010 (more by Brook Bobbins)

When we first announced Summerstage's free hip hop show lineup, tonight's (6/28) free show at Soundview Park in the Bronx was listed as Funkmaster Flex and Special Guests. The lineup has since changed and will feature performances by three old school NYC hip hop artists; the duo Black Sheep (Dres and Mista Lawnge), Peter Gunz, who most notably recorded as a duo with Lord Tariq, and frequent Big L-collaborator and Studio 54 DJ Kid Capri. Peter says Flex will also be there.

Q-Tip, who, like Black Sheep, is part of NYC hip hop collective Native Tongues, is DJing at Brooklyn Bowl on Thursday (6/30). Questlove, who usually holds down the DJing at Brooklyn Bowl on Thursdays, returns on July 7.

Q-Tip also plays the Brooklyn Hip Hop Fest is July, part of which is taking place at Music Hall of Williamsburg this year. The July 14th MHOW event, titled "Salute the DJ", will feature Marley Marl, Grand Wizzard Theodore, Roli Rho, Twilite Tone, and Torae. Q-Tip's headlining performance goes down on the Main Stage on Saturday, July 16th. Tickets are still on sale for that (and for the Music Hall party).

Butterfly of Digable Planets, who weren't actually part of Native Tongues but take cues from similar NYC-jazz based sources, released the debut full length Black Up for his Shabazz Palaces project today (6/28) via Sub Pop. You can still stream it at NPR. Download two tracks from the album above, and check out Shabazz Palaces tour dates (though no more in NYC at the moment) below.

Continue reading "Black Sheep playing Soundview Park, Q-Tip DJing Brooklyn Bowl, Shabazz Palaces released 'Black Up' (MP3 & dates)"

photos by Bryan Kremkau

Lee Fields & the Expressions

Fitz & the Tantrums

"This weekend was truly a triumph for the state of New York's Gay Community and made my musically enlightened weekend that much sweeter! Friday night's passage of the legalization of same-sex marriage seemed to spark a fire of love and celebration in the city. It couldn't have made for a better day to head to Central Park for one of their summer series concerts.

I knew that the concert had a lot in store for me as the soulful Fitz & the Tantrums, easily one of my favorite new bands, would be performing! Also on the program was soul and funk legend, Lee Fields, who proved that even after a few decades, he's certainly got the moves!

Haling from Los Angeles, California, Fitz & the Tantrum's indie soul sound had the crowd dancing from start to finish... [and] I was happy to find that they sounded even better live, as most of the greatest bands do.

Playing hits from the album such as "Pickin' Up the Pieces" and "Rich Girls" , the group enchanted the audience... finishing their set with one of their biggest hits " MoneyGrabber", they left me wanting more and I feared it would be the last time I'd ever get to see them for free!

Feeding my hungry retro-soul, Lee Fields put on a magnificent performance that salutes the saying "you're as young as you feel.""
[The Vogue Vibes]

More pictures from the Central Park show below...

Continue reading "Fitz & the Tantrums played Central Park Summerstage w/ Lee Fields & the Expressions (pics)"

Andrew Bird @ MHOW in 2008 (more by Kyle Dean Reinford)

Summer is not technically here, but the summer season of free NYC shows is beginning. Summerstage (which now encompasses shows in many NYC parks) kicks off tonight (6/7) in two locations. The mainstage in Central Park is hosting "an evening of music, dance, art and stories with legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma, his internationally acclaimed Silk Road Ensemble, and NYC students." On the other side of the spectrum, Betsy Head Park in Brownsville, Brooklyn is hosting the first of Funkmaster Flex's Salute to Hip Hop" shows tonight with EPMD. Special Ed plays Betsy Head Park on Wednesday (6/8). B.T. Express play there on Thursday (6/9).

Flex and EPMD again share the bill at an early show (2 PM doors) on the Central Park Mainstage with Rakim on August 21. Flex moves to other parks throughout the summer too.

To stereotype for a second, BV readers may not be flocking to see the cellist in Central Park or the hip hop in Brownsville this week, but are likely to be out in full force when indie rock violinist Andrew Bird kicks off the free Celebrate Brooklyn season in Prospect Park this Friday (6/10). After the opening night gala, the free-to-the-public Andrew Bird show begins (with no opener) at 8:15pm.

You can also pay to see Andrew on his previously announced solo tour this fall which hits Bardavon 1869 Opera House in Poughkeepsie on October 17 (tickets and Tarrytown Music Hall in Tarrytown on October 21 (tickets).

Celebrate Brooklyn continues on Thursday, June 16 (7:00pm / gates 6:00pm) with Hal Willner's Freedom Rides Project...

"The maverick music producer HAL WILLNER brings his golden Rolodex and singular genius for curating multi-artist concept shows to the music of the Civil Rights Movement. Commissioned for Celebrate Brooklyn!, this concert celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Freedom Rides, which integrated the interstate bus system and helped bring America's and the world's attention to the deprivations of the segregated South. In what promises to be an unforgettable event, Willner will convene his usual surprising and eclectic array of musicians, actors, and other artists--established and emerging, famous and infamous--to perform songs that inspired, illuminated, and sprang from the tumultuous aftermath of the Movement. The evening begins with a pre-performance artists discussion. Performers subject to change.

Medeski, Martin & Wood play Central Park Summerstage on Saturday (6/11) as part of the Blue Note Jazz Festival with Josh Roseman & The King Froopy Allstars and Jim Black's Alasnoaxis.

Many more free summer shows to come. Check out the full Summerstage and Celebrate Brooklyn lineups at their sites.

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

Arctic Monkeys brought their live show back to Central Park Summerstage last night (5/24) in support of their forthcoming LP Suck It and See, which Alex Turner told Vanity Fair was written mostly in NYC where he lives with his girlfriend (the album is out June 7 via Domino). They played a hits-heavy set with a pretty even mix of material off all four albums. More about how they put together their setlist (which is listed below) at NY Mag.

Fellow UK band The Vaccines opened the show. More pictures from the NYC show are in this post.

Arctic Monkeys in Central Park

Arctic Monkeys appear on Letterman tomorrow night (5/26), the same night they play Detroit. They just played on Jools Holland earlier this month, performing four tracks off the new album. Videos from that below.

They also recently filmed a video for the bluesy sludge track "Don't Sit Down Cause I've Moved Your Chair." The psychedelic video, complete with swirling colors and blurred images of the band playing, was directed by Focus Creeps and shot in the band's hometown of Sheffield.

More pictures from the Summerstage show, the AM setlist, updated tour dates and videos below...

Continue reading "Arctic Monkeys played Central Park Summerstage again ----- (pics, videos & the setlist)"

photos by Dana (distortion) Yavin

The Vaccines in Central Park

The Vaccines regularly cover Minor Threat's cover of "Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White" by the Standells. Tuesday night, 5/24, during their opening set at Central Park Summerstage in NYC, Minor Threat's Lyle Preslar actually played it with them!
NME talked to both of them:

"I was a little worried The Vaccines might turn out to be like the British version of emo-core or something," Preslar told NME. "Frankly, over the years, you do find yourself in a situation where you don't like the bands that claim to like you. But I genuinely love the way they're quite referential to other bands but quite fresh at the same time."

The Vaccines frontman Justin Young explained his surprise at finding Preslar to be so enthusiastic, especially as the guitarist hadn't played the song since Minor Threat disbanded in 1983. "I couldn't help but think it sounded so much tighter with Lyle than we do when I play the song," he said. "It was a great honour. I got into hardcore when I was 13 or 14 but to be honest, Minor Threat are the only hardcore band that I still listen to."

Too bad Lyle didn't join Ted Leo who played Minor Threat tracks with a backing track at Bowery Ballroom on Sunday. Ted should invite Lyle to the free show he'll be playing at South Street Seaport this summer.

Watch a video of Lyle playing with The Vaccines last night at Summerstage, with more pictures from the opener's set, and their setlist, below...

Continue reading "The Vaccines played Summerstage w/ help from Minor Threat's Lyle Preslar (video, pics & setlist)"

Clipse photos by Brook Bobbins

Nas & Damian Marley at Williamsburg Waterfront (more by Samantha Marble)

Distant Relatives Nas & Damian Marley will team up for a summer show in NYC this year just like last. They'll hit Central Park Summerstage on August 11th. Tickets go on web presale at 10AM on Thursday (5/19) with regular sale hitting Friday. One difference from from last year though, they're calling this one their "grand finale," so don't sleep if you've been wanting to catch the pair together. THAT SAID, they were also just announced on the lineup of ACL which is happening a month later.

Wiz Khalifa also has a Summerstage show coming up.

In other hip hop news, Q-Tip will DJ The Fort Greene Festival kick off party on May 28th at Sanders Studio (525 Waverly Avenue in Brooklyn), a benefit to raise money for the forthcoming annual event. Tickets are $10 or $15 at the door.

As previously mentioned, Q-Tip will perform at the annual Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival on July 16th where he'll be joined by new additions Homeboy Sandman, Eternia, Shad, Nitty Scott and Kid Glyde. Get your tickets.

Rock the Bells is going to announce some news from a "launch party" at House of Blues in LA on May 24th.

Talib Kweli will link back up with his side project Idle Warship to play BB Kings on June 10th. Tickets are on sale. And don't forget Kweli will also play a free show in Red Hook Park on 6/21.

Edan plays Southpaw on May 25th.

Clipse @ Terminal 5 in April

Clipse made a NYC appearance at Terminal 5 on April 30th. They opened for A-Trak, and pictures from their set are in this post. More of them below.

Ghostface & Raekwon supported Mobb Deep at recent show at Best Buy Theater. Pictures from that show are HERE. Some upcoming UK Wu-Tang dates are below.

The previously announced "Salute to Hip Hop" show that was supposed to take place at Best Buy Theater in Times Square in April has been rescheduled. You can now catch The Lox, EPMD, and Brand Nubian at the NYC venue on June 30th. Tickets are on sale.

The previously announced Curren$y show happening at Irving Plaza in June is still happening, but now so are many more tour dates around it including the Pitchfork Festival. They are listed below.

And finally, Beastie Boys have no tour dates in support of their Hot Sauce Committee Part 2 yet, but you can catch Ad-Rock hosting/DJing as part of a day long Children's Museum of Art benefit. Tickets for both events at Webster Hall on 5/22 are on sale. Meanwhle check out "The Greatest Beastie Boys Lyrical References To New York, In Order."

A recent video by Nas & Damian Marley for "Nah Mean," those Clipse pics, and tour dates, below.

Continue reading "Nas & Damien Marley shows, BK Hip Hop Fest, Curren$y, Rock the Bells, Q-Tip, Clipse pics, Ad-Rock & other hip hop news"

Wiz Khalifa @ Rock The Bells 2010 (more by Eric Townsend)

We're now up to four announced ticketed shows happening at Williamsburg Waterfront this summer. Thievery Corporation are playing the outdoor North Brooklyn space on Friday, June 24th, and tickets go on sale this Friday at noon which is also when Death Cab For Cutie/Frightened Rabbit tickets go on sale. The other two, which are already on sale, are Sonic Youth and Kid Cudi.

Wiz Khalifa, who plays the Roots Picnic on June 4th, and Monmouth University on July 29th, will play Central Park Summerstage on July 25th. Tickets go on presale Thursday at 10am, and then general sale Friday at noon.

Tickets go on AmEx presale today (5/4) at noon for Ratatat's upcoming show at the same Summerstage venue.

It's always confusing that, except from a promoter/series/financial/whatever point of view, "Central Park Summerstage" and "Rumsey Playfield" are actually the same venue even though you have to do two separate searches on Ticketmaster to find all the ticketed shows happening there. Ray Lamontagne and the Pariah Dogs are playing two Rumsey Playfield shows this year. The sold out 5/31 one was announced a while ago (with Brandi Carlile and The Secret Sisters opening), and the 9/26 one (with no openers announed yet) goes on presale Thursday at 10am, and then on general sale Friday at 10am.

In related news, Bon Iver's recently announced Prospect Park show is now sold out.